[Avodah] tower of Bavel

[Eli Turkel]

How so?  I don't get why you say that simple pshat says all of
mankind was resident in Mesopotamia.  Simple pshat always includes
context.  And it's clear from the context that there were people
living in Eretz Yisrael (the cities of the plain) and Egypt, at the
very least.  Simple pshat might be that Shinar was the world capitol,
but that's about all.

> In general were there any people in EY before the dispersion?

If Arei Hakikar were in Eretz Yisrael, then yes.  Presumably the
Philistines were in Philistia as well, and depending on where you
consider Seir to have been, there were probably Horites there.>>

If so what language did all these people outside of Shinar speak
before and after
the dispersion. Assuming that (for example) Eygptians always spoke Eygptian
then what really is the dispersion about?If not did those in Eygpt switch from
hebrew to hierogylphics overnight? Also why did no one understand Joseph
speaking in Hebrew only some 3 generations later.

It is also interesting that we know nothing about Noach after the
flood except for
the immediate actions of his vineyard and castration (or whatever).
Are there any
midrashim that describe his life as the ancestor of all mankind for the next
some 300 years. As Lisa mentions after 10 generations he and Shem seem
to be nobodies.

-- 
Eli Turkel